Crosswalk.com--The Devotional

[Judy Harder]

Perfect Plans
by Anna Kuta

"And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose" (Romans 8:28).

When I graduated from college, I had no job – but no worries. Many of my business-major friends had known since the previous fall where they would be accepting a job, living and working, but that isn't the way the journalism industry works. I'd been advised by plenty of my journalism professors that the type of jobs I'd be looking for were the type that hired to fill positions immediately. So in the days after I moved back home and packed away my graduation robe and apartment furnishings, I confidently began applying to media-related jobs in the area, waiting for my dream job to come along any day.

Two weeks later, nothing. My best friend got hired and started work. I spent every day searching the Internet for job openings, attempting to network, and submitting applications left and right. Two months later, still nothing. It seemed like with each day that passed, someone else I knew accepted a job, but I just knew my moment was right around the corner.

But as July rolled into August, and still no prospects, I was starting to freak out big time. I began applying to every job I could find that was semi-related to anything that even sounded remotely interesting. I prayed for God to open a door where He wanted me, to bring along the right job at the right time, and to help me be patient and not stress out.

Then, suddenly, two opportunities arose. I was so sure this was the answer to my prayer. I held off on the first one to pursue the other, but when I went in for an informal interview, I was informed that the job actually didn't exist after all. I contacted the first job again, but that position had already been filled. Seriously? I asked God. All the grand plans I'd been making in my mind just crashed and burned.

A few days later I was moping around on the couch, and I decided to do another sweep of all the job search websites for the 400th time. Something caught my eye, a new job listing that wasn't there before. As I read the description, it was like someone had gotten inside my head and summarized everything I wanted in a job but had yet to actually verbalize. It sounded almost too good to be true. I applied, and before I knew it, I received a phone call to begin the interview process. And then, just a few weeks later, I screamed in excitement as I received a phone call with the job offer. You've probably figured by now I'm referring to my job here at Crosswalk, and you're right. It's been almost six months now, and I still refer to it to everybody as my "dream job."

Today, it could not be more obvious to me how God worked all the details together for me in my job search last summer, even when at times I wanted to despair. I ended up with the perfect job and I got to enjoy one last summer vacation. The timing of it all fell into perfect place with every other event happening in my life. I had great opportunities this summer to serve the Lord and grow in my faith, and most of all, I learned some of the most valuable lessons I've ever learned about trusting God and waiting for Him.

Romans 8:28 says that all things in the lives of those who love God and who have accepted Him will ultimately contribute to our good. It doesn't say everything in our lives will be good, but that everything will work together for an outcome in our lives that is pleasing to God. Notice Paul makes it very clear that it's something granted only to those who "love God and who are the called according to His purpose." We know from John 14:15 that we show our love for God by keeping his commandments – and being one of "the called" means making Him the Lord of every area of our lives when we accept His call of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

God absolutely cares about all the small details of our lives. Right now, you might be facing a situation that makes no sense. We live in a sinful world, and bad things happen. It may seem that your prayers are going unanswered. But God promises that he has a perfect plan for the lives of those who truly love and follow Him and who have received salvation through Jesus. You may not realize right this moment – or ever – why things happen just the way they do, but if you have accepted God's call of the gospel, you can trust that He is working everything in your life together for His ultimate purpose.

Intersecting Faith & Life: Looking back on your life, can you see times when God worked out all the details for good and situations that have shaped you and brought you closer to the Lord? What did He teach you through those times, and what is He teaching you through your current situation? Trust Him that He continues to do His perfect work in your life as you continue to follow Him.

Further Reading

Jeremiah 29:11

Proverbs 19:21

Proverbs 3:5-6

1 Corinthians 1:24

Philippians 3:14

[Judy Harder]

God's Will: So Simple it's Hard
by Shawn McEvoy, Crosswalk.com Managing Editor

Rejoice always;
pray without ceasing;
in everything give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

"God's will for my life"... how often have you pondered that notion? Studied it? Read untold books about it? Know people who torture themselves trying to locate it?

Well, here we have an obvious chunk of it, even compact and useful just as we like things to be, tucked away at the close of Paul's first letter to the church at Thessalonica. "This is God's will for you...," it says.

Well, yes, it says that, and it sure is pretty - almost poetic - but is it deep enough? Shouldn't there be more? Is it practical?

Okay. Then let's go Old Testament. Prophetic. Action-oriented. Micah 6:8 says, "He has told you, O man, what is good; And what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?"

It's still simple, still bunched in a group of three, still indicating that there's no big mystery way far out there which must be solved before we know how to act or decide, or how God wants us to act or decide.

So why do we seek for more?

I think it's because the ridiculously simple, paradoxically enough, is ridiculously hard, and we know it. G.K. Chesterton famously said, "The Christian ideal has not been tried and found wanting. It has been found difficult and left untried."

We could spend a lot of time discussing the ins-and-outs of how easy or hard God's will is, and where else in His Word we can find snippets of it. One woman from my Bible fellowship class is fond of asking during our lessons, "What does that look like?" Let's ponder on that for a minute here.

The situation is this: you've been sent on a missionary journey via a clear calling from God. The resources were there, the people willing. You are leading your group through a city when you encounter a psychic who keeps taunting you. After a while, through calling on the name of Jesus you cast out the evil spirit within her. Hooray! Score one for the Lord, and your group! But alas, there is no praise here, because those who had been making some cash off the now-set-free woman's powers aren't happy with you. They drag your group before local law enforcement, have you beaten, and thrown into prison. Hey now!

At this point, I am saying, "God, this is NOT your will. YOU made it very clear we were to come on this trip, and we even did a miracle for you! Now we're injured, in jail... I don't even know how I'm going to get home much less continue to be effective for you from here! I want a telephone, I want a lawyer, and I want you to reveal your ACTUAL will, right now, and suffer no more discomfort while doing what you sent us to do!"

And with that, my missionary journey would come to a close. But not the Apostle Paul's, not as we have it recorded in Acts 16:16-40  which is one of my all-time favorite passages. Paul, who knew God's will better than I, and practiced it, knew to "rejoice always." And so, bloodied and with his feet in stocks, he sings. Seriously, he sings hymns of praise. He also knew to "pray without ceasing," and so, in verse 25, that's exactly what you find - Paul and Silas praying... at midnight, even.

The missionaries on this journey got out of God's way by doing the simple things that God had willed for them to do, so that God was free to let fly with His own big, complex, miraculous will for everyone else. An earthquake shakes open the prison, snapping chains in the process. Prisoners, however, stay where they are. A jailer, about to kill himself, holds his sword, and moments later accepts Jesus into his heart. Then his family joins the flock, all because those he had persecuted chose to "love kindness."

At every step of the journey, Paul, Silas, and their companions chose to walk humbly, give thanks, and do what was just (speaking of which, once officially released, Paul did have some words of justice regarding their citizenship and treatment for the magistrates).

It's absolutely amazing to me the ways that God plans to accomplish His Will (big "W") on earth. His will in my life has already been decided. It is my job to walk humbly, get out of the way, always be in prayer, always rejoicing no matter what situation I'm in. But how often do we come back to the same situation, sitting in my car, simple traffic jam, me needing to be somewhere, telling God, "Did you not ordain that I should do such and such today? Or get this amount of work done so I can spend this amount of time with my family? Then this is on you unless you make such-and-such happen now!"

Sigh... how many miracles have I missed?

No, God's will for my life isn't difficult to know. It's just frustratingly hard to do if self is at the center. And that's the crux of the very question itself, "What is God's will for MY life?"

Perhaps when we get out of the way, we shall see better.

Intersecting Faith & Life: How long will it take to learn the lesson that even if I know I am doing God's will it doesn't mean everything will appear to go smoothly along the way? That there are purposes I either don't know or am unwilling to consider could be a part of inconvenience? If you're like me, start learning today by making note of every story in the Bible that suffers a delay, interruption, inconvenience or other problem before God's promised payoff. (Hint: start with guys like Joseph, and Abraham...)

Further Reading

Acts 16
Micah 6:8
Stop Wrestling, Start Serving: The Non-Mystery of God's Will

[Judy Harder]

Jesus Wept
by Ryan Duncan, Crosswalk.com Entertainment Editor

Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil. After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. – Matthew 4:1-2

I once heard a story of a woman who lost her only daughter in a tragic accident. After the funeral she fell into deep despair, and many of her friends began to worry about her safety. In desperation, one of them asked their local priest if he would go to her house and speak with her, but the moment the woman saw him she flew into a rage.

"Get out!" She screamed, "I already know what you're going to say. You're going to tell me that everything happens for a reason, that this is God's will, and I don't want to hear that." The priest did not move. Eventually the woman began to calm down and started to sob. It was at that the priest spoke, quietly and gently.

"Listen," he told her, "I don't know why your daughter died, and I do not know why God allowed it to happen, but I do know that God understands what it is to lose a child, and that he is standing next to you, and that he cannot stop your suffering but that he loves you and he loves your daughter, and if you let him into your heart you will see her again."

What really struck me the first time I heard this story was that God really did understand the pain of losing someone. I realized that for a long time I'd had a false view of Jesus. I'd always pictured him as this tall, soft-spoken man who was completely serene no matter what the world threw at him. I didn't understand that when God became a man he embraced all human sensation, even the ones that hurt.

Jesus got hungry, just like us (Mark 11:12). He got frustrated, just like us (Mark 11:14). He got sad (John 11:35), and angry (John 2:16-17), and scared (Luke 22:44). Jesus probably laughed with his friends, and grew stern with the Pharisees. The Bible says that Jesus lived a sinless life, but that doesn't mean he wasn't human.   

Some of you may be having a fairly nice day while reading this and some of you may be having a pretty miserable one. Regardless of what is happening to you, know that God understands how you feel, and that he will always love you.

Intersecting Faith and Life: Follow Christ through his years of ministry. Take note of the times when Christ displays his emotions.

Further Reading 

Matthew 4:1-11

[Judy Harder]

Starved for Faith and Vision
by John UpChurch, Senior Editor of BibleStudyTools.com

"Son of man, what is this proverb you have in the land of Israel: 'The days go by and every vision comes to nothing'? Say to them, 'This is what the Sovereign LORD says: I am going to put an end to this proverb, and they will no longer quote it in Israel.' Say to them, 'The days are near when every vision will be fulfilled." Ezekiel 12:22-23

For me, Dave was that boss. The guy could make every triumph into misery, every completed project into a diatribe for what didn't go right. Not chewing you out was his way of complimenting a job well done. And, no, I'm not joking. The guy would fire someone I worked with and then come to me the next day to say, "I fired your little friend."

And yet, for some reason I never understood, Dave liked me from the beginning. He would never have said that, of course, never admitted to not hating someone. But he did. Even as a lackey intern, he put me in charge of projects way above my pay grade. Even as the newbie, he'd let me in on the big stuff we'd be working on in a few months. My position was only supposed to last 30 days, but Dave kept me there for months by making excuses to his bosses about why I should stay.

To be honest, I hated the work. Here I was an English major who was supposed to be editing and writing and changing the world through prose. But I was afraid of trying for that world-changing job. Instead, I got pushed into IT project management for hospitals, which is really just a nice way of saying that I moved computers and loaded software. Over and over.

But it's funny what happens between a boss and a peon when you're wearing scrubs and snatching computers from the ICU. For Dave, those moments brought clarity. In a place where alarms signal dying, he'd tell me about his one-time plans to be an architect and the reasons why it couldn't happen. His rage would disappear with the code blues and rushing nurses. He dreamed for just a moment.

And then we'd be pushing our carts of equipment to a new wing of the hospital, and the sarcasm flooded in to cover the regret. He'd snap back to the snappiness as if the ICU never happened.

Maybe that's why Dave liked me. He knew I didn't want to be in those sterile halls either. He knew this detour felt more like a dead end. I was his earlier self.

When I finally quit, Dave didn't say goodbye. In fact, he avoided me for much of my two-week notice period. His only words about me were to berate the rest of the team with how the "only competent worker" was leaving.

With him, that meant he approved.

Intersecting Faith and Life: Dave was that boss—a curmudgeon God used to show me how important vision is, how necessary risk can be to following where God leads. He'd stayed in the safety of a career he despised because excuses were easier than fear and faith.

Part of what it means for Christians to let our lights shine is for us to live by faith. We know God can build bridges over chasms—even if we have no idea how. (Sometimes it's as if He purposefully waits until we're right on the edge.)

Vision and faith refresh and refill and renew. Those who have lost both need you to show them how to get them back once again.

For Further Reading

Ezekiel 37:1

Hebrews 11:1

[Judy Harder]

Kill Me Now
by Shawn McEvoy, Crosswalk.com Managing Editor

If this is how you are going to treat me, put me to death right now -- if I have found favor in your eyes -- and do not let me face my own ruin."
Numbers 11:15

...while he himself went a day's journey into the desert. He came to a broom tree, sat down under it and prayed that he might die."I have had enough, Lord," he said. "Take my life; I am no better than my ancestors."
1 Kings 19:4

Now, O Lord, take away my life, for it is better for me to die than to live.
Jonah 4:3

What kind of a person feels like this? A schmo like me, at times, sure. Maybe you, or people you know. Surely not the heroes of the Old Testament.

Well, truth is, even God's greatest leaders and prophets got to the point in their respective stories where, even after witnessing indescribable miracles and blessings, their circumstances were so overwhelming, impossible and undesirable their attitude was, "Just kill me now, Lord!" Exhausted in body, soul, and spirit, they cried out that they had had enough. They could go no longer in their own power.

The first quote above is from Moses, who had a People Problem. The wandering Israelites were hungry, and as usual, it fell to Moses to solve the problem. He cried out to the Lord, "Was it I who conceived these people? Was it I who brought them forth?" He looked around and couldn't figure out how to satisfy everyone.

The second quote is from Elijah, who had a Pity Problem. This was a prophet who had just called down fire from heaven, destroyed the prophets of Baal, and witnessed the end of a long drought. But just a few verses later, one vow from one wicked queen has him in such despair that he fears he can't go on like this.

The third quote is from Jonah, who had a Pouting Problem. He'd finally obeyed to the point of going to Nineveh and preaching repentance, but when the Lord relented and stayed his hand rather than destroying the city, Jonah wasn't happy. He folded his hands and "became angry" that the destruction he forecast never arrived.

Consider who these men were and what they had seen, what the Lord had done through them. Moses parted the Red Sea and led a people out of slavery. Elijah stood strong for Israel during a time of tremendous pagan influence, prayed down fire and rain, and actually never died (so chalk up at least one unanswered prayer!). Jonah is one of the first stories we tell our children, about how God provided a great fish to swallow him for such a period as he could learn about obedience and repentance.

Not only that, but these guys all show up in the Gospels, in one way or another. Moses and Elijah are present at Jesus' transfiguration (Mark 9). In Matthew 12:38-41, Jesus tells the Pharisees they won't get any sign from him other than the sign of Jonah, foreshadowing the three days He Himself would spend in the belly of the Earth.

But interestingly enough, Christ apparently never felt this way. He knew His destiny was to die, but even so prayed that such a cup might pass from Him. And let's not forget that He is our example, not Moses, not Elijah, and not Jonah, great as they were.

When we feel the way that these guys did, we need to realize that anyone wanting to die is under attack. And our enemy can bring that attack through people, pity, and pouting. It comes when our body is not healthy, our soul is not happy, and our spirit is not holy.

But conveniently enough, Paul shows us a prayer that covers all these bases. He writes in 1 Thessalonians 5, "Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Faithful is He who calls you, and He also will bring it to pass." (1 Thessalonians 5:23-24).

You aren't alone when you feel like you can't go on, or like you would be better off dead than standing strong in the face of the overwhelming task God has given you, especially when you are weak in body, soul, and spirit, and the enemy is on the attack. And truly, it is comforting to know that some of the Bible's greatest faith warriors and miracle workers shared these feelings. But it doesn't mean they were right. Let us not indulge hopelessness, for it may always be found. Instead, let us remember that we serve a God of hope and of miracles and we follow the One who never copped to people, pity, or pouting, but willingly laid His life down for others, not for Himself.

Intersecting Faith & Life: Develop a plan that gives you exercise and rest in proper amounts for your body, soul, and spirit, so that you will be less prone to attack.

[Judy Harder]

Burning Your Ships
by Ryan Duncan, Crosswalk.com Entertainment Editor

"In the same way, any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple." – Luke 14:33

Every now and then, when I've got some time to spare, I'll turn on the History Channel and let myself get lost in the past. Recently, I started watching a documentary on the Age of Exploration, when the kingdoms of Europe were sending out ships to explore the Americas. To the Europeans, the New World was a place of limitless promise but also great danger. Faced with new cultures, strange animals, and deadly plagues, many explorations returned home in failure.

Then in February 1519, an explorer named Hernando Cortez was commissioned by the Spanish Crown to sail to the Yucatan and conquer it in the name of Spain. Cortez and his army set out at once, and when they reached the shores of the Yucatan, Cortez turned to his men and said,

"Burn the boats."

Cortez refused to let turning back be an option. For the sake of his mission, it would be all or nothing. To many of us this may sound a bit extreme, but as it turns out, Jesus had the same principle when he started his ministry.

"As they were walking along the road, a man said to him, "I will follow you wherever you go." Jesus replied, "Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head." He said to another man, "Follow me." But the man replied, "Lord, first let me go and bury my father." Jesus said to him, "Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God." Still another said, "I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say good-bye to my family." Jesus replied, "No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.'" – Luke 9:57-62

Being a true Christian is something bold and dangerous. We live in a world that loves compromises, and teaches us that we are free to pick and choose what parts of religion we want to follow. Christ is different. When we become his followers, he tells us to take up our crosses and never look back. To follow him is all or nothing. So take some time today and renew your relationship with Christ, because God never claims a victory until he finally gets it all.

Intersecting Faith and Life: Are you holding onto something that is keeping you from God? Take some time to consider.

Further Reading

Matthew 8

[Judy Harder]

Rejoicing in All Seasons
by Debbie Holloway, Crosswalk.com Family Editor

"The hope of the righteous brings joy" (Proverbs 10:28).

I'm currently in the process of moving – but only a few miles away. During the intense first weekend of driving back and forth constantly from the old house to the new apartment, I was always amused when I passed by one curious little house. We began moving in on Valentine's Day weekend, and this little brick house by the roadside was decked in red and white lights and glowing hearts dotting their lawn. During the daylight it was easy to miss the house, but come nightfall it stood out like a beacon of Valentine's Day glory.

A few days after Valentine's Day passed, however, the hue emanating from the house transformed from red to chipper Irish green as the occupants geared up for St. Patrick's day – complete with shamrocks instead of hearts. My initial reaction to this was something like, Wow. These folks really love their holidays.

As I would drive past the house over the following days and weeks, it got me thinking something else, though. Very few of us embrace change so exuberantly as these (I imagine) quaint little homeowners. Very few of us throw ourselves wholeheartedly into the season of right now. It's tempting for many of us to leave the Christmas lights up past New Years, simply because it's hard to let go of the nostalgia of that warm, fuzzy time. Many of us are picky about what we celebrate. Not these folks, though! They seem delighted just to be able to revel in the fact that we have holidays.

That's an attitude I could probably learn from. I think of Jesus turning water to wine, of all the celebrations, holidays and jubilees that God instituted for the Jews, and I think – God loves an excuse to have joy and celebration! If I can smile, rejoice, and bring attention to a thing of beauty and excitement, I think I should. Just like the people who use every holiday as an excuse to dress up their little house and share a little light with the neighbors.

Intersecting Faith and Life: Do you roll your eyes at the exuberance of others? Or do you take every opportunity to rejoice in the beauty of the world around us? Take a moment to celebrate something small.

Further Reading

Leviticus 25:8

[Judy Harder]

Seven Habits of Truly Effective Living
by Alex Crain, Editor, Christianity.com

The phrase, "begin with the end in mind" will be familiar to anyone who has read the life management book The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, by Stephen R. Covey).1 But if you aren't familiar with the phrase or the book, the general idea of "begin with the end in mind" is fairly straightforward.

Simply stated, before beginning any project, you should always ask the question "How do I want this to turn out?" Otherwise, you may end up climbing a ladder, but not find success because your ladder is leaning on the wrong wall.

While the advice in Covey's book can help sharpen focus and cultivate good work habits, something that's missing from the book is the God-sized perspective on life that we see in Psalm 92.

Stephen Covey invites his readers to the pathway of success by beginning with their own desires. In other words, "Imagine life as you want it to be." Naturally, the ideal life for most people is one surrounded by beauty, expensive things, favorite people, etc. We want plenty of leisure time and the health to enjoy these things. But without God, such a life is depicted in Scripture as empty and deceptive. It is a dream that springs from a heart tainted by sin. Frustration and disappointment results when our primary source of motivation is the self.

If we are to be truly effective at living, we must humbly begin with God's end in mind.

Psalm 92 paints a picture of the ideal life as that of a righteous person who bears good fruit, even to old age. He is "full of sap and very green." In other words, he is filled with spiritual vitality at the end of life when the temptation to grumble and express radical selfishness is often the strongest.

The roots for a strong, 'sap-filled' soul are found in Psalm 92. Here, the seven habits of truly effective living are unfolded for us:

#1  Seeing thankfulness and praise to God as something desirable, not as a duty (Psalms 92:1). Far from complaining, his lips are filled with praise—declaring that there is no unrighteousness in God, his Rock (Psalms 92:1).

#2  Focusing on God's lovingkindness in the morning and His faithfulness at night
(Psalms 92:1). For the righteous man, each day begins and ends with God. God is central in his thoughts throughout the entire day. 'Lovingkindness' refers to God's covenant loyal love, which assures salvation for His people.

The righteous person is not self-righteous. Rather, he looks to God's promises as the basis for his right standing before his Creator-Judge. Christ fulfilled these promises and delivers from a life of vain pursuits all who trust Him. 

#3  Enjoying resounding music and singing for joy at God's great works (Psalms 92:1).
"You, O LORD, have made me glad by what You have done, I will sing for joy at the works of Your hands."

#4  Pondering the deep thoughts of God (Psalms 92:1)—not being characterized by a shallow, pragmatic view of God that sees Him merely as a means to get other things.

#5  Praising the transcendence of God—declaring that God is the "Most High" who is above all His creatures. The righteous one realizes that man is in no way equal to God. Thus, he can never legitimately view God with suspicion or call Him into judgment (Psalms 92:1).

#6  Resting securely in the fact that, in the end, God will have the final say on all matters. He will deal justice to the enemies of righteousness (Psalms 92:1).

#7  Depending continuously upon God for strength—for "fresh oil" (Psalms 92:1), knowing that yesterday's supply never carries over to today.

Perhaps you know an older believer who embodies these seven habits. My own 'eighty-something' grandmother is one such saint. We affectionately call her "Meme." Not long ago, Meme lay in a hospital bed with a serious health situation. I called her on the phone expecting to cheer her up, but she was the one who brought cheer to me.

Instead of complaining about her pain, she spoke with delight about truths she had just read that morning in her well-worn Bible. She told me of the various hymns and spiritual songs had been going through her mind throughout the day. She took time to ask me about my family and how things were going in ministry at our local church.

Her prayer at the close of our conversation was full of gratitude and praise to the Lord. The tone of her voice showed a deep awareness of God's presence right there with her. While I listened, I thought: This is Psalm 92 in action—here is someone who, throughout her life by God's grace, has learned and is still practicing the seven habits of truly effective living.

Intersecting Faith & Life: If these seven habits aren't part of your daily life, why not pause right now and ask God to make them so?

Further Reading:

Philippians 2:12
Numbers 14

[Judy Harder]

Seven Habits of Truly Effective Living
by Alex Crain, Editor, Christianity.com

The phrase, "begin with the end in mind" will be familiar to anyone who has read the life management book The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, by Stephen R. Covey).1 But if you aren't familiar with the phrase or the book, the general idea of "begin with the end in mind" is fairly straightforward.

Simply stated, before beginning any project, you should always ask the question "How do I want this to turn out?" Otherwise, you may end up climbing a ladder, but not find success because your ladder is leaning on the wrong wall.

While the advice in Covey's book can help sharpen focus and cultivate good work habits, something that's missing from the book is the God-sized perspective on life that we see in Psalm 92.

Stephen Covey invites his readers to the pathway of success by beginning with their own desires. In other words, "Imagine life as you want it to be." Naturally, the ideal life for most people is one surrounded by beauty, expensive things, favorite people, etc. We want plenty of leisure time and the health to enjoy these things. But without God, such a life is depicted in Scripture as empty and deceptive. It is a dream that springs from a heart tainted by sin. Frustration and disappointment results when our primary source of motivation is the self.

If we are to be truly effective at living, we must humbly begin with God's end in mind.

Psalm 92 paints a picture of the ideal life as that of a righteous person who bears good fruit, even to old age. He is "full of sap and very green." In other words, he is filled with spiritual vitality at the end of life when the temptation to grumble and express radical selfishness is often the strongest.

The roots for a strong, 'sap-filled' soul are found in Psalm 92. Here, the seven habits of truly effective living are unfolded for us:

#1  Seeing thankfulness and praise to God as something desirable, not as a duty (Psalms 92:1). Far from complaining, his lips are filled with praise—declaring that there is no unrighteousness in God, his Rock (Psalms 92:1).

#2  Focusing on God's lovingkindness in the morning and His faithfulness at night
(Psalms 92:1). For the righteous man, each day begins and ends with God. God is central in his thoughts throughout the entire day. 'Lovingkindness' refers to God's covenant loyal love, which assures salvation for His people.

The righteous person is not self-righteous. Rather, he looks to God's promises as the basis for his right standing before his Creator-Judge. Christ fulfilled these promises and delivers from a life of vain pursuits all who trust Him. 

#3  Enjoying resounding music and singing for joy at God's great works (Psalms 92:1).
"You, O LORD, have made me glad by what You have done, I will sing for joy at the works of Your hands."

#4  Pondering the deep thoughts of God (Psalms 92:1)—not being characterized by a shallow, pragmatic view of God that sees Him merely as a means to get other things.

#5  Praising the transcendence of God—declaring that God is the "Most High" who is above all His creatures. The righteous one realizes that man is in no way equal to God. Thus, he can never legitimately view God with suspicion or call Him into judgment (Psalms 92:1).

#6  Resting securely in the fact that, in the end, God will have the final say on all matters. He will deal justice to the enemies of righteousness (Psalms 92:1).

#7  Depending continuously upon God for strength—for "fresh oil" (Psalms 92:1), knowing that yesterday's supply never carries over to today.

Perhaps you know an older believer who embodies these seven habits. My own 'eighty-something' grandmother is one such saint. We affectionately call her "Meme." Not long ago, Meme lay in a hospital bed with a serious health situation. I called her on the phone expecting to cheer her up, but she was the one who brought cheer to me.

Instead of complaining about her pain, she spoke with delight about truths she had just read that morning in her well-worn Bible. She told me of the various hymns and spiritual songs had been going through her mind throughout the day. She took time to ask me about my family and how things were going in ministry at our local church.

Her prayer at the close of our conversation was full of gratitude and praise to the Lord. The tone of her voice showed a deep awareness of God's presence right there with her. While I listened, I thought: This is Psalm 92 in action—here is someone who, throughout her life by God's grace, has learned and is still practicing the seven habits of truly effective living.

Intersecting Faith & Life: If these seven habits aren't part of your daily life, why not pause right now and ask God to make them so?

Further Reading:

Philippians 2:12
Numbers 14

[Judy Harder]

My Two Voices
by John UpChurch, Senior Editor of BibleStudyTools.com

"The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?" Jeremiah 17:9

I never read the Bible alone. Instead, there's a squeaky voice tucked away in my head that likes to tag along. For the most part, it hums along in time with the steady cadence of Scripture, just waiting. But when something challenging pops up, something that pushes against the way I'm living, the tiny warble begins.

Brace yourselves because I'm taking you inside here.

Me: You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires

The Warbler: You don't need to worry about that. It says "old self." You're all brand-spanking new in here. Just ignore that.

Me: to be made new in the attitude of your minds

The Warbler: See. That's totally you—new times two. Nothing left in here but soapy clean suds.

Me: and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.

The Warbler: Being like God? Yeah, right! That's impossible. Not what that verse means. You can only do what you can do. Don't worry about it. Next!

Me: Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbor, for we are all members of one body.

The Warbler: Oh, man! You're a truthfulness beast of awesome.

Me: Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.

The Warbler: That doesn't mean you have to be nice all the time. Do you really want people stomping all over you? You've gotta push back and give them some smack when they need it.

Me: Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice.

The Warbler: All? Pshaw! After the way you acted yesterday, that's obviously a ridiculous goal.

Me: Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

The Warbler: Eh, just focus on the Christ forgiving you part. It's all about you, right?

Okay, okay, that's probably a bit of an exaggeration. But from the conversations I've had, I don't think I'm the only one who has such a voice that "helps" interpret Scripture. We all come to the Bible with certain ingrained expectations about ourselves, the world, and God. But God's Word tends to sandpaper over them... a lot.

Not surprisingly, we push back. We justify trouble spots in our own lives and shift the tough passages to "worry about later" or "not about me" lists. I know I'm good at that.

Intersecting Faith & Life: You'll never turn off the voice of justification that warbles along as you read the Bible. We're sin-kissed creatures with hearts that like to dance the shuffle. But you can drown out that subtle whisper with prayers of confession. If nothing else, that little voice is good for telling you exactly where you need the help.

Here's a prayer that works for me: Father, your compassion makes my resistance seem so ridiculous. Give me the guts to accept the chastisement of your Word. Knock through my love-of-self and give me love-of-You instead. Weaken me so that I can be stronger in Christ. Amen.

For Further Reading:

Ephesians 4:1

James 1:1